Of Blood and Mystics
by Technicolor Girl T.C.G
Summary: A wonderful little story about the men in BtVS who seem to be worth writing about, and a woman who has inched her way into my psyche (could become NC-17 but for now the rating is lowered for viewing on the default story listing)
1. Anna Pays an Unsuspecting Visit to the M...

Summary: This is a story that introduces a new character, Annasia Cordiare, a woman from the past who comes back with Ethan and integrates herself into the present. I think I know where its going, but I never like to be too certain. There will be drama, romance, and probably reason for the severely high rating.  
  
Distribution: Please ask, but you probably won't want it anyhow.  
  
Reviews: Write whatever you think, I'm not affected by flames because I'm writing this for me, not you.  
  
Disclaimer: Blah dee blah, Joss is God and owns the characters, the city, the situations, but I own Anna, and she's amazing enough for me.  
  
This is my story, enjoy.  
  
Of Blood and Mystics  
  
By: T.C.G.  
  
  
  
Things never seemed that unusual on the Hellmouth, at least not to those who were used to it. The day was unremarkable, and the Magic Shop crew was going about the business of daily living. Giles, Buffy, Tara, Willow and Xander were doing research, well, Giles was doing research and the rest were half following along half absorbed in their own conversations, which was also usual. Anya was keeping shop and playing with her money as she so enjoyed doing, counting it and running it through her fingers, occasionally glancing at Xander in promise of what was later to come. No unusual prophesies, no end of the world, no looming evil nasties to mar the day. Then two out of towners walked through the door and began looking around, making the day quite remarkable indeed.  
  
"It isn't as if I remember all of it, it's been twenty years since I last saw the both of you, you were so young then, and so very different." Anya was the first to look up at the voice speaking. She noticed a young looking woman with pale skin, green eyes, and hair so blonde it appeared white. The others looked up as well, but they didn't notice the woman, they were too focused on her traveling companion.  
  
Buffy was the first to comment. "Ethan, didn't someone de-invite you or something?"  
  
"Now now, slayer, I have a present for your watcher and I wanted to personally deliver it." With that Giles looked up at his once closest companion, and he did indeed notice the striking woman who had arrived almost as a testament to the chaos Ethan worshipped.  
  
"Anna." Was all Giles could manage to utter for a moment.  
  
"Hello Rupert, is that all I get from you after flying the whole way to the colonies just to see you? It was an awfully long trip you know, and very exhausting."  
  
"Can you tell me just who the hell you are and what you want with my watcher?" Buffy hated the thought of another woman from Giles past interfering with things and she was determined to make it obvious.  
  
"Annasia Cordiare, an old friend." Anna extended her hand but Buffy backed away. "I'm sorry you don't like me. Its quite understandable, I've hated so many of his friends myself."  
  
Giles turned to address his slayer, "Buffy, she's alright. If it's any consolation she hated Olivia undoubtedly more than you did."  
  
Buffy blushed, remembering the awkward situation Olivia had been the cause of, but Anna decided that a more violent approach of disapproval was necessary. "I don't believe that hate even begins to extend to the depths of my loathing for the woman. She was coarse and vulgar and no GENTLEMAN would have her." Anna scowled for a moment but laughed softly at the absurdity of her outburst.  
  
Buffy laughed at the strong speech of Giles' old friend. "You're right, Giles, I think I'm going to like her after all."  
  
"Buffy, everyone, could I have a moment alone?" They all knew not to argue with the watcher, and made their way into the training room to allow the two mystics time alone with the strange woman.  
  
"Anna, as much as I'm flattered that you are here, and make no mistake you are welcome to stay as long as you like, but please do not undermine me in front of my slayer again?"  
  
"She's….. she's your?" Anna was visibly flustered and began running her fingers through the length of her hair. "But Ethan didn't—of course he didn't. I….. I didn't know Rupert. I shouldn't have come, I'm very sorry. I just, I mean, it has been so long, and I ran into Ethan and after I saw him I just knew I had to see you again also, it has been so very long."  
  
"Anna I'm sorry, so many things have changed."  
  
"Too many things? As in it would be better if I left you alone, or merely that we need to get to know each other again?"  
  
"I'd like to get to know you again Anna, it would make me very happy if you would stay awhile."  
  
"And Ethan?"  
  
Giles took a deep breath and took a long look at the old mystic. "I suppose. After all, An, you were the only one who could ever control him."  
  
"I don't see why it's so hard, he's really a kitten if you know him well enough."  
  
"I doubt that. We still have some work to do here, though, so I'm afraid that I must be back to it, and undoubtedly my friends are not enjoying their current situation."  
  
At that Xander's voice could be heard, "Don't worry G-man, we're just fine listening in from here." Willow's reproach of "Xander!" could also be heard and everyone in and out of the training room laughed a bit.  
  
"Rupert," Anna began, "Can I meet you somewhere later? Well, maybe not tonight, I still haven't even found a place to stay. Tomorrow though?"  
  
"Oh Anna, you're welcome to stay with me if you'd like, I've always enjoyed your, uh, your company." Ethan extended his hand out to her and she accepted it.  
  
Giles looked less than thrilled about that arrangement, but he let it drop. "Alright then, you two go on home and meet me later tonight at my apartment, yes?"  
  
"Yes, thank you so much, Rupert, the three of us being together will be quite fun."  
  
"It'll be something at any rate." Giles muttered as the two Brits turned to leave.  
  
As they moved to exit the magic shop, however, another twist of chaos was to await them; a figure huddled in a dark blanket entered the shop dragging a small girl along. "Bloody hell Dawn! Its not like I TAN!"  
  
Spike dropped his cloak and released Dawn's hand, glancing around the room and stopping on Anna's face.  
  
She gave him a wide-eyed look as if she were stunned by his presence.  
  
"Do I know you, pet? Because I'd think if the slayer had introduced us before I would certainly remember. But call me Spike."  
  
She couldn't speak, but continued staring at the vampire nervously.  
  
"I do know you from somewhere though don't I? Pretty face like yours…." He looked at Giles and asked, "She does know, doesn't she? I mean its safe to let her in on the secret, so to speak?"  
  
Anna spoke in a quiet voice; so small it was at the edges of being audible. "I know what you are, William."  
  
Giles cringed, "You know him?"  
  
"Well, yeah, he was a friend of my father's a long long time ago, a family friend you might say."  
  
Spike looked at her again and his demon flashed for a moment. "Jareth? But that would make you…. I mean that was….. That was at least seventy years ago."  
  
"It was about one hundred and twenty years ago, I was very young then." Anna had the look of someone who was longing for her past.  
  
It began to occur to him slowly, "So that's what you chose, to be like us? I can't imagine why you would want that."  
  
"I watched my mother die William. And I watched my father die because of her. Do you want to know how he died? Staked himself."  
  
Buffy was very confused and indignant at being left out of the conversation, "So you mean to tell me that your father is a vampire? And that not only are you here with Ethan and friends with Giles but you know Spike?!?! I'm not liking this."  
  
Anna laughed at the absurdity of the situation and then looked to Ethan, leaning on him for support, "Ethan you didn't plan this did you, because its all falling into place a bit too nicely if you ask me."  
  
"I planned for you to come here and see Ripper, nothing more. The fact that you know the vampire is proof of chaos, not my own handiwork." 


	2. Visiting Rupert and Beginning to Remembe...

Giles didn't know what to make of the situation. A dazzling young woman from his past was now staying with a man he no longer knew. His slayer was upset and chaos did seem to be in control.  
  
"Rupert? Can I come in please?"  
  
He wasn't sure he wanted Anna to be in his life, now or in the future, but she was a part of his past and she had been a close friend. "Come in Anna, everyone has gone for the evening."  
  
"Thank you, I was hoping you'd let me in, I walked from the hotel."  
  
"Why didn't Ethan just bring you?"  
  
"I didn't want him to be here, I um.. He doesn't know."  
  
"You drugged him didn't you?"  
  
"I was going to try a sleep spell, but Ethan can always detect my spell-casting from a mile away, he did teach me everything I know after all."  
  
"I don't get any credit for that?" "You weren't the teacher, Rupert, you know better than to ask; but you were my friend, a kindred, and a soul-mate of sorts. I could always cast with you, and you have always made me feel safe, but even you have to admit that he taught us both so much. He gave us a life we didn't have."  
  
"So he's the all important lover and I'm the safe and unassuming friend. You haven't changed a bit Anna. When you next decide to extricate yourself from my life, could you remember to stay gone?"  
  
"I would have thought after 20 years we could forget that you hate me because Ethan and I were lovers. I LOVED both of you and that was important, who I decided to take into my bed never entered into that. Rupert I came back because I missed you, because after over a century of life I've realized that what the three of us shared has always meant the most to me. I guess the feeling is all mine though. Ripper would have been glad to see me back, but I didn't want Ripper, I wanted Rupert Giles, and now I suppose I'm going to get the hell out of his life."  
  
"Anna, please, I'm sorry, but you know how I feel."  
  
"And you know how much it hurts me. If you need to get in touch with me ring Ethan, I'll be staying with him for a bit, then perhaps I'll go back home, a place I should never have left."  
  
Giles held his head in his hands as Anna stalked out of his apartment and into the night. Not once did he consider her safety walking alone at night, and when it crossed his mind his lack of concern did not surprise him. He knew that if any woman besides his slayer could survive such ugliness as was the Hellmouth, well, that woman would have to be his Anna. Not that she was his, or ever would be, but in some small way he would always know her as "his Anna" as that sweet young woman he had met so long ago, a woman who had seen beyond Ripper and into his own soul. 


	3. 1977 London: Ripper is Restless and Etha...

1977 London England  
  
"DAMMIT ETHAN!"  
  
"Ripper, love, you have me. You prance about flaunting for what ladies may chance your way, but no one can be what I am to you."  
  
Ripper once again had no words for the controlling mystic. Ethan was exceedingly more powerful and held a power over Ripper that was impenetrable, even with the most potent magicks. Ripper was growing weary of the masculine air about his life however, and felt that they needed a woman, a witch, to restore some balance into their plagued night- wanderings. As testament to Ethan's chaos, and his infinite control, the witch who would ultimately change both of their lives sought out the older more powerful mystic before Ripper could begin to understand how important she really was. It was near to a fortnight after Ethan had forbidden Ripper to find himself a woman that a small blonde found them both drunk in a pub and to their equal surprise the woman seemed to recognize them immediately.  
  
"Ethan Rayne, yes? I assume you are less. offensive when you are sober? Normally I would be quite impressed by meeting such a man as yourself but currently you fairly reek of alcohol and I can't imagine how in the bloody hell the two of you managed to drink enough to smell that horrible."  
  
"Young lady why don't you go back to your doll-playing and leave us to our drink?"  
  
"You do not know who I am, or why I have come to you, but assuredly if you did you would not send me away with accusations of youth."  
  
"You're no more than seventeen years old if you're a day and YOU'RE INTERRUPTING ME!"  
  
Anna laughed and smiled at the two men as if receiving a compliment, but her face quickly turned into a scowl as she addressed Ethan's desire for her departure, starting out civil and growing beautifully into her anger, "Pardon me, I don't believe I introduced myself. Annasia Cordiare, daughter and protégé of Jareth Cordiare, I assume you've heard of him? You don't need to answer that. I have every ounce of raw power that he possessed and I came to YOU because I need a man who can turn that power into skill. Ethan I'll not beg you, I've lowered myself enough admitting that I have a need of you, but understand that the power is still there, and with or without your help I still have many things that you could never acquire, a bloodline, a history, a life force so complex that my being itself is beyond classification."  
  
Ethan is clearly taken aback, but refuses to lose control if he is indeed to give her what she asks. "So, you are indeed more than some sugar- coated bird looking to have a bit of fun. Truly, if you become sugar- coated in any of the time we spend together I will give you to Ripper, let him have his way with you and send you packing. You intrigue me as only a young innocent could, and you are right, your power is without measure, I am too young to have met your father but few found his presence a necessity to realize his strength. If you come with me you do everything I say, you are a young girl so I will not treat you as an old one-"  
  
"You still don't know do you? I don't mean that I'm his daughter in a metaphorical or metaphysical sense. I'm not some distant relative who was born with what he had, not some predecessor who is claiming his lost place in the world, I AM his daughter."  
  
"Such aggression is very impressive, but trust me in many ways you continue to present yourself as a young girl and I do not mean to take back what I said, I will treat you as what you are. I will also give you what you ask, provided that you live with Ripper and myself and you do as you are told."  
  
"Done, but do be reminded that I don't take any orders that I don't feel are necessary, and I'm not easy to live with."  
  
"Neither are we, love." With that Ethan returned to his drink and hauled Anna onto his lap. With a casual reply of, "Ripper, I found you a girl." He was back to his own crazed drunken self, and everything was set in motion. 


End file.
